Calculating the Amount of SF for Your Office Space

Here is another question that we come across frequently: “How many square feet do I need per person in my office space?” There are a couple of things to take into consideration when calculating the amount of space necessary for every person including your desired space layout and the parking ratio of the building. Here is how they come into play when determining this number:

The first scenario will deal with a building where the parking ratio is an issue. Typically, parking ratios for office space range from 3.3-4/1000, meaning you are allotted this many parking spaces for every thousand rentable square feet you are occupying.

Example 1:

Square feet: 1,000 Employees: 4 Parking ratio: 4/1000 Result: You could lease this space because it meets the parking requirement

Example 2:

Square feet: 1,000 Employees: 5 Parking ratio: 4/1000 Result: You will need to lease more space in order to have enough parking

In some scenarios the parking ratio is not an issue. This gives the tenant some room to play based on the layout of the space and in some cases will allow the tenant to fit more employees into a smaller space. The average amount of space per person in an office with cubicles ranges from 175-250 square feet and 200-300 in a space with offices

With that said, a software company with space that will primarily be cubicles could fit in 5 or maybe even six people into a 1,000 sf office where the parking ratio is not an issue.

Likewise, a law firm whose office will primarily be hard walled offices will be able to fit 3-4 people in a 1,000 sf office based on the larger amount of space needed per employee.

For more information on calculating your space requirements or finding Austin office space for lease give us a call at 512-861-0525.